Apple recently experienced a mixed victory in a patent infringement lawsuit against Masimo, a medical device manufacturer.
On Friday, a federal jury concluded that Masimo had infringed on certain Apple patents. As a result, Apple was awarded a minimal statutory remedy of $250—a figure Apple specifically requested, Bloomberg Law reports. “We’re not here for the money,” Apple attorney John Desmarais clarified during closing arguments.
The lawsuit found that Masimo’s W1 smartwatch, Freedom smartwatch, health module, and charger infringed on specific Apple patents. The jury determined that Masimo’s actions were willful. This small award of $250 reflects the statutory minimum for such cases, underscoring Apple’s intent to defend its intellectual property rather than pursue financial gains.
Earlier this year, Apple faced patent challenges when it stopped selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models with blood oxygen sensors in the U.S. after the International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that Apple had infringed on Masimo’s pulse oximetry patents. Consequently, the latest Apple Watch Series 10 also does not feature blood oxygen functionality, aligning with the ITC ruling.
